Loop de-loop
by TFALokiwriter
Summary: Shortly after Robot and Smith got aboard the Jupiter 2, time had frozen, as not everything was put into the order the way it was during the original launch. Missing scene from The Time Merchant.


"We made it!" Smith exclaimed. "We made it! We made it! Yes! We did it! We saved everyone-"

"Doctor Smith, we must repair the timeline," Robot cut him off. "We are not done yet."

"We have repaired it enough as it is," Smith said. "We should be returned by now."

"No," Robot said.

"What do you mean by no?" Smith scowled. "We have done what we can."

"We must go to the lower decks," Robot said. "We must fulfill our roles."

"The lying, greedy Smith?"

"The deadly, backstabbing, gun armed Colonel Smith," Robot said. "The Robinsons need that man."

"I don't know if I can be that man," Smith said.

"You can be," Robot said.

"For them,"

"Every difference must be eliminated," Robot said. "Time has paused to make sure we fulfill the functions that lead to getting off course. Everything must be repeated. There must be no difference upon leaving Earth."

"_Eliminated_. . ." Smith felt along the edge of the astrogator then toward the section where there were no seats.

"Yes," Robot said. "I know you can be that man. Every human has the courage to do the difficult and you have a abundance of it."

Smith chuckled as he scanned the group resting in stasis then closed his eyes, regretfully, leaning against the console. Time refused to pass before the slightest of all adjustments had been made. Tiny and little impactful ones. He looked out the window of the Jupiter 2 observing the departure padd. The truck parked halfway out of the area with a can covering the knocked out MP. Time wasn't going to pass until everything was completed. Looking at the Robinsons and the pilot. It reminded him how different they all were three years ago. Just as he were.

Smith slid open the rail to the elevator then walked in and stepped aside.

"Aren't you coming?"

Robot was looking out the front window.

"One moment," Robot said. "I did not realize. . . Detecting so many lifeforms would be beautiful. Refreshing. All of them: human."

"It won't last for long," Smith said. "A moment cannot last forever." Smith shook his head, bitterly, looking toward the children. "Not even if Doctor Chronos can afford it. . ." his eyes shifted toward the resting parents in pity. "Let alone the professor."

"The professor cannot afford anymore time," Robot said. "He spent five years for you."

So little time together, because of him, time that they were able to spend because of him, more time with their children than how time had allotted them before being chosen for the colonization of Alpha Centauri. The professor going out with a fight was better than dying in his sleep. A far better cry of dying. Smith knew the fate that rested ahead of him. No help while he died alone in a place far away from home surrounded by strange aliens who were using him for their own benefit. A home he was never going to return or ever see again. And he accepted the price.

"I will make it worth his time!" Smith said. "Come along."

Robot turned toward the elevator then wheeled toward the man's side and the elevator went down with a grating grumble as Smith sang to himself cheerfully. Smith slid the door open and there was a familiar officer standing by the blocked off door staring at his direction. Smith recalled, everything, watching himself perform the sabotage and dismiss the officer. All the while not in completely control. The cage around him had loosened and slackened to the point that he was in control.

How would anyone believe him after admitting to what he had done? Who would believe him. He came to the officer's side and with Robot's help, he was tossed as was his comrades through the waste shoot. _All differences must be eliminated_, the comment echoed as Smith took off the uniform that he had stolen then slipped back into his uniform and chucked out the stolen uniform along with the officers.

After everything that they had been through in the last three years, perhaps telling the Robinsons, in three years time, what he had to do to secure their lives and what he did against his will. Everything that was going to happen next was going to be the way it should to ensure their survival. Their mental well being as well to stop them from going mad from boredom and lack of visitors. A easy task that Smith was charged with and could happily do in his best interest.

Robot went under the recharge booth and Smith approached the machine. He felt around in his pocket feeling for the gun and the communicator. All of which were where he had put them. Where the other Smith had put them. A sleeper spy implanted in his mind over several weeks of reprogramming without his knowledge. Somehow, someway, that was unknowingly invading his personal space. A person that he had tapered over with his feeble and cowardly persona that made the Robinsons believe he was harmless.

To feel the communicator in his pant pocket made him feel disgust as he recoiled from touching it. No matter who or what had lead him down this road in the first place, he was doing it on his own terms. He took a deep breath then exhaled slipping his hands out of his pocket. He looked up toward the lights with a grimace. Was he ready to do what had to be done? Yes. Making enemies and friends out of everyone around him including himself. Was he ready to do it all over again? All the good that came out of the bad?_ Yes_.

"Doctor Smith," Robot called.

"What is the matter?" Smith said. "Getting cold treads?"

"Before I go back, I like to hear the name I was designed with," Robot said. "The name I was supposed to be referred to."

"I . . . I. . . I I am sorry, Gunther," Smith said, sincerely. "I am truly _truly_ sorry. For everything."

"Thank you," Robot said.

"If I told them the truth-" Smith was cut off mid-sentence.

"The professor was watching you," Robot interjected. "He knows half of it."

"Not all of it," Smith said. "If I do this. . . Even remotely touch you and begin the sabotage, I would be left to experience all those episodes _alone_."

"You are never alone," Robot reminded. "We are always there for you."

"When I start to reprogram you," Smith said. "You won't be there."

"I will be there," Robot assured. "Standing in front of you. Younger, new, but still Robinson Robot!"

"What if I get trapped in time living out the past?" Smith said. "What if time traps me in to it, melts around me, sends me free falling, the day before Will performs his experiment? I am a customer in a young body. There is only so long before my mind joins my original body in time."

"We will save you from that fate," Robot said. "We always have and always will. You will not spend a eternity floating in time in your version of Hell."

"Given that I have caused the family more trouble than what I am worth," Smith said. "I don't see how certain you are. I wish I had that optimism."

"You are one of a kind buddy," Robot said. "That is why Will and the Robinsons love you. Despite your flaws, despite your troubles, despite your lies."

"Loving me is a exaggeration," Smith said. "All those threats from them leaving me behind!" Smith held up his index finger stopping Robot from interjecting. "However! Caring about me," Smith lowered his finger. "Yes, I can see that from them."

"I forgive you, Doctor Smith," Robot said. "For everything you will put this expedition through and me. The courage that Will sees in you, I see it now, that makes your whole stand out more than your dark soul. That is the Doctor Smith I love. . . And the cost to keeping our family alive is a charge I can swallow."

"Me too," Smith said. "Me too. . ." His fingers moved toward the lower panel then began to follow a familiar movement that his hands had followed three years ago.

"See you, soon," Robot said.

Smith looked up toward the bobbed head as the grill glowed orange.

"Adieu," Smith said. "My dear old friend."

Soon as the reprogramming was being performed, Smith distinctively felt Robot's presence leave the room and saw how he changed before his eyes. The grill changed from bright orange to white, the two light bulbs on each side of his helmet dimmed to gray. His long arms yanked into the sockets. He flicked the switch then the cover went over Robot's helmet. Smith's mind jumped from the Robot to the additionally installed chair. The chair that helped him stay in the Jupiter 2 after everyone had either left or gone into the tubes.

Smith went toward the hidden compartment then pressed on the button. The door slid down and out came the seat. Smith sat down feeling bolts of recognition flicker through his body seating into the chair. The more comfortable chair hadn't been installed yet. The pain from lift off had began to tug away at his mental shackles and the mental see through wall that had let him see what was going on.

There was little damage it could do to him now. Trained and prepared for breaking orbit. Three years worth of self-training and his mind being resilient against the effect of breaking through orbit. Smith's hands were shaking as he buckled himself in to the seat and easily became comfortable. His eyes were fixated on the Robot who sat across from him.

_"I will be there. Standing in front of you."_

Smith had a small nod, briefly closing his eyes, reminding himself of that.

"No need to fear," Smith said to himself, grasping on to the arm rest of the chair, finding the strength, the courage, and the infectious optimism from the Robinsons. "Smith is here!"

And the ship launched familiar but incredibly intense speed different from all those other launches from before. A launch that as it had the first time around knocked Smith out for eight hours.

**The End.**


End file.
